Table 4.

Findings from the included studies with respect to distinct subcategories of QoL.

Subcategory of QoL	Mark (20)	Noyes (21)	Passman (22)	Irvine (19)	Hsu (26)	Schron (23)	Leosdottir (28)	Newall (29)	Czosek (31)	Duru (27)	Redhead (30)	Kamphuis (25)	Probst (32)	Opic (33)	Cross (24)
Physical health (physical limitations, bodily pain, and self-perception of general health status)			n.s.			n.s.		n.s.		n.s.
Physical functioning (focus: physical limitations)	n.s.	n.s.		+	n.s.				n.s.	n.s.		n.s.	n.s.	−	n.s.
Physical role (focus: problems with work or other activities due to physical limitations)	+									n.s.		n.s.	n.s.	n.s.
Bodily pain	+			n.s.						n.s.		−	n.s.	n.s.
Sleep efficiency and quality				+											+
Self-perception of general health	+									n.s.		n.s.	n.s.	−
Mental health (social and emotional functioning, psychological well-being, vitality)	+		n.s.	+		n.s.	n.s.	n.s.	n.s.	n.s.					n.s.
Social functioning (focus: impact of physical or emotional problems on social activities)	+			n.s.						n.s.		n.s.	n.s.	n.s.
Emotional role (focus: limitations at work or other activities due to emotional problems)	+									n.s.	n.s.	n.s.	n.s.	n.s.
Psychological well-being (focus: anxiety, depression, mental health)							n.s.			n.s.	n.s.	n.s.	n.s.	n.s.
Vitality (focus: subjective well-being, e.g., energy level, fatigue)	n.s.			+	n.s.					n.s.		n.s.	n.s.	n.s.
Satisfaction with life														−
Anxiety							n.s.	n.s.		n.s.	n.s.	n.s.	n.s.	n.s.	n.s.
Depression				+			n.s.	n.s.		n.s.	n.s.	n.s.		n.s.
Reassurance by ICD								n.s.		+
Perception of being informed about ICD								n.s.		n.s.			n.s.
Bodily awareness														n.s.

+, better for ICD group; −, worse for ICD group; n.s., not significant; blank fields, not investigated or not reported.